Developing a Positive Mindset 

Shandra Martinez

| 2 min read

There are many benefits to having a positive mindset. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2017 followed 70,000 women from 2004 to 2012 and found those who were optimistic had a significantly lower risk of dying from several major ailments, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, infection and respiratory diseases.
The next time life hands you a lemon, keep this in mind from the Mayo Clinic: “Positive thinking can increase your lifespan, reduce rates of depression and levels of distress, give you greater resistance to the common cold, improve your overall psychological and physical well-being, improve your cardiovascular health and protect you from cardiovascular disease, and help you build coping skills to keep you afloat during challenging times.”
PositivePsychology.com defines a positive mindset as “making positive thinking a habit, continually searching for the silver lining and making the best out of any situation you find yourself in.”
Positive attitudes can include:
  • Finding humor in difficult situations.
  • Accepting the unexpected without complaint.
  • Making someone else smile.
  • Starting the day with a positive affirmation.
  • Motivating others around you with positive words and actions.
  • Being friendly to strangers.
  • Lifting others up.
  • Giving a genuine compliment to someone.
  • Having a good sense of humor.
  • Being happy with what you have.
  • Transforming negative self-talk into positive self-talk.
Get started on developing a more positive lifestyle by:
  • Starting a gratitude journal.
  • Writing down three positive things that happened during the day.
  • Talking with family and friends about the positive things that happened during the day.
  • Being kind to yourself and others.
  • Exercising regularly.
  • Connecting with others.
  • Balancing sleep.
  • Eating healthy foods.
  • Finding time to practice self-care.
  • Seeing the bigger picture.
Learn more about developing a positive mindset in this Blue Cross Virtual Well-BeingSM webinar, Hunt for the Positive Things in Your Life. You can also sign up for future employer-or individual-focused webinars and guided meditations here.
Photo credit: Getty Images
MI Blues Perspectives is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association